


Plans Are Hard To Make When You're Awkward And Emotionally Unavailable

by WinterSpells



Category: RWBY
Genre: :), Angst with a Happy Ending, Drug Addiction, F/F, Friends With Benefits, Futa!Winter, Mentions Characters That I'm Too Lazy to Actually Write, Precious babes, they're trying their best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-01-23 06:24:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21315646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterSpells/pseuds/WinterSpells
Summary: Winter Schnee, the stoic soldier who stares in the face of danger with nothing but a smile has a really hard time asking a woman out, but not just any woman.
Relationships: Glynda Goodwitch/Winter Schnee
Kudos: 19





	1. Nervousness and Roses

**Author's Note:**

  * For [falconstories](https://archiveofourown.org/users/falconstories/gifts).

> A dear love of mine gave a teeny, tiny suggestion on what I should write to get out of my funk, and I'm proud to say it worked. Hopefully you enjoy reading it as much as I am writing it :)

Shit. Shit shit shit. I quickly glanced at my scroll before internally cursing again. I always made it a point to be punctual in any and all functions I had to attend; it was the proper way, and really, why dilly dally when you could get right down to the matter at hand and not waste any more valuable time? Of course, I, as well as many others, also understood that things happened or got in the way, so in those moments I was instantly forgiven and things could move along, business as usual, but for this particular meeting, I already knew what the outcome would be for my tardiness. 

“Shit.” I sighed, the sound heavy and annoyed even to my own ears, and as I waited for the elevator to inch its way up to my designation, I wearily ran a hand across my face and mentally prepared myself for what was to come. No excuses, no half-hearted attempts, and no lying. Now was the time to be truthful and lay everything out on the table. Anything but the absolute truth wouldn’t have been appreciated anyway. 

The dinging of the elevator signaled my arrival, so I immediately straightened my back and hurried out. The hallway somehow seemed longer than it should have been, but I internally shook my head and tried to calm my rapid heartbeat. I didn’t want to hide my feelings, not really, but if my excitement somehow got the better of me-

I reached the office door, and without thinking about what I was doing, I gripped the knob and opened it.

“If that isn’t who I think it is, then I’m just stretching, but if it is who I think it is, what the hell took you so long?” 

The casual drawl of her voice shouldn’t have surprised me, or the position I found her in, but there she was, bent over the desk, playing some sort of game on her scroll as if it were a normal, everyday occurrence. 

She finally tilted her head to look in my direction, a small smirk on her lips. She didn’t say anything more; she didn’t have to, for her eyes said it all. I quickly turned and shut the door, perhaps a little too hard, but I didn’t think she would hold that against me.

“I hope you weren’t waiting long.” Why did my voice have to sound so husky? 

“What would you do if I were?” She looked at me a moment longer before turning back to her scroll. 

“Apologize.” That made her scoff. “I’d also explain the reason for my tardiness and hope it was enough.” I waited for a reaction, for something, but she continued to swipe her thumb over the screen, the comical noises mocking me. 

“Well?”

“I uhm,” I cleared my throat and did my best to look anywhere but the round, plump bottom that was so close, yet so far. “James had me-”

She scoffed again and adjusted herself, her hips wiggling in the process. Dear gods she was going to kill me before we even got to the good part. 

“Of course it was James. He’s always ruining anything good I have going on.” 

I couldn’t help but smile at that. It was silly, especially after all the time we spent together in each other’s company, in a sexual setting or otherwise, but anytime she unknowingly uttered sweet words such as that, it made my heart flutter and unthaw just a bit more. 

“It wasn’t all him, Glynda.” 

That got her attention. Finally, she turned around, scroll face down on her desk, forgotten. Her arms crossed over her ample chest, eyes narrowed in a way that made me rethink what I was about to say, but I couldn’t go back now. 

“After I finished what I had to, I was on my way here, but I...I became sidetracked by something I saw.”

“What did you see?” It was nice to see the curiosity in her eyes. It made things slightly easier. 

“I saw a flower cart.” 

“...A flower cart?” I smiled a little more at the skepticism in her voice.

“Yes. I normally don’t care for such things; I don’t have time to care, but I saw the flower cart and I couldn’t walk away, not until I retrieved this.” As I spoke, I opened my uniform jacket and pulled a single, blood-red rose from the pocket within. “You like roses, don't you?" I didn't have to ask. It was one of the first things she casually mentioned to me when we first began this dance of ours, only this time I was actually, genuinely prepared.

She looked between me and the rose a few times, her bottom lip quivering slightly, and I must have given something away because then she smiled at me. It was the kind of smile that radiated a quiet, brilliant brightness, much like the flower I held in my hand. If only she knew how much I cherished those looks. 

"I suppose I can forgive your tardiness," her voice was soft and warm, the sound of it breaking me apart inch by inch as she beckoned me closer, "but if this happens again…" A hint of warning entered her voice, but the curling of her lips after helped soften the blow.

"I will make sure to let you know if I'm going to be late." A declaration of sorts, and as she uncrossed her arms to gently take the rose, I noticed her posture relax slightly, her face light with pureness and wonder. 

I wanted to ask her the question that's been buzzing around in my head all day, and I even opened my mouth to blurt it out, but instead I watched as she set the rose down on the side of the desk gently, as if it would shatter if she didn't, then I found myself surrounded by her, and I couldn't help but drown in it. 

I breathed in the sweet scent of coffee and lavender as if it were my last. I felt her strong, lean arms around me, hands splayed across my upper back, fingers gently scratching at my shoulder blades. It always thrilled me to know how she could kill me with the simple twitch of a finger, yet she handled me firmly, knowing I wouldn't break that easily. 

The thing that really made me shiver, that made me feel more alive than anything else, was her lips. Whether they were pursed in that subtle way when she was upset or smirking at me when I said something idiotic, or even when she gave me one of those soft, encouraging smiles when I finally did something right. But when they were pressed against mine with urgency, with care, it made me feel as if I were a container of pop being shaken up and then opened with no amount of remorse. Every time she kissed me it felt like a brand new experience. Each and every time those lips pressed against mine, I shattered into a million pieces, then somehow managed to become more whole than I was previously. 

"Glynda." Her name came out as a low mumble as we separated for air, but we made sure to stay close, only a breath apart. 

She tilted her head in a way that exposed her gorgeous neck, a move that always made me tremble with the need to claim it. I couldn't help but say her name again as she ghosted her lips along mine, and I heard the zipper of my pants go at an agonizing pace downward. 

"I wondered if the position you found me in did something to you, but I suppose I have my answer." I gasped at the warmth of her hands. I should be used to it, I know, but everywhere she touched felt like a scorching fire blazing through me, and if we weren't careful, I'd be nothing more than ashes one day. 

"I thought it would have been obvious." My voice was far too hushed for my liking, but I couldn't force it to go any higher, any louder. How could I, when she was looking at me with a heat that was somehow even more sweltering than her hands?

"Usually you're all over me, whether I'm bent over or not," She paused, and I watched as her left hand come up to cup my chin, her thumb pressing against my bottom lip, "Do you know how hard it is to keep you off of me? You're absolutely relentless sometimes."

A different kind of warmth spread through my chest, a kind of warmth that made me laugh giddily.

"That's a little ironic coming from you, isn't it?" There was another teasing remark on my tongue, she must have sensed it, since instead of saying what I wanted, all thought left my mind as the stroking of her right hand became more insistent.

"I know I can be over the top sometimes," I would have made an incredulous face if I were able, but I was too focused on trying to remember to breath and not choke on my moans to do so, "But you don't have to be so rude about it."

I gripped her shoulders tightly and pulled her closer, needing more contact, needing more of her, but I followed her pace the best I could. 

“I know you’re close.” Those emerald green eyes seemed to darken as she gazed at me, and dear gods did she have to lick her lips like that?

I could only offer her a choked response, something that even I couldn't identify, but she seemed to somehow understand my garbled words, for I was helpless as she began to quicken her strokes on my hardness, and she pressed in close against me, so close that her lips were pressed against my ear. 

"Come for me, Winter." 

I would have done as she asked if it weren't for the damned scroll going off on her desk. 

"Glynda-"

"Hold on."

"Don't you dare. I mean it."

Her hands slipped away from me as she turned to grab her scroll, and I immediately felt the loss of her warmth. 

"I'm sorry, but it seems a few students are having a crisis over a homework assignment and then Ozpin wishes to see me..." I felt her deep, exhausted sigh in my soul, and it squeezed in sympathy for her, but the lower half of me ached even more as I gently shoved it back in my pants. 

"Go." 

We gazed at each other for a moment. There wasn't a question on whether or not I would stay; she knew I would, that I always would, but there was always that deep, inner itch between us, a place where the unspoken words lay, just within, yet somehow beyond our reach. 

She reached out to me then, and with the practiced ease only long-time lovers could emulate, we kissed once again, the urgency gone, but the care and tenderness behind it remained. 

"I'll be back as soon as I'm able." As if I expected less.

"I'll be waiting." She smiled that soft, brilliant smile and kissed me again. The only thing that remained when she exited was the scent of coffee and lavender, and I wrapped that scent around me as much as I were able to on the little sofa in the corner of her office. I fell asleep to those wondrous emerald eyes and twinkling laughter.


	2. Disappointment and Redemption

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Second chances.

I stretched languidly on the sofa with a soft sigh, my senses prickling along my skin as I slowly eased my way into wakefulness. I laid there for an irredeemable amount of time, just on the edge of drifting off when I heard it.

I willed my body to relax as a loud rattling perforated my eardrum, followed by the kind of sigh you could feel seep into your bones. I felt that weary, soul sucking sigh wrap around me like a blanket to suffocate me. I hadn't even realized I made my own sound of despair until I heard the light scuff of a chair moving backwards, then a warm, tender touch to my shoulder. 

"Glyn…" A murmur, a plea, perhaps even a declaration, but I was quietly shushed as that warmth moved further down to cup my breast through my uniform. 

I wanted to say something, anything, though the only thing I could do was moan at the gentle pull of a skilled hand releasing my member from the confines of my pants, only to be placed between something preciously intimate. 

"You're entirely too easy." She was right. 

"Your fault…" I could imagine the smirk on her face when I gasped at her sharp thrust. 

I desperately tried to grab onto whatever was within reach, if only to preserve the last bits of sanity I had left. How fitting it was for my hands to find the bottoms of her thighs. 

"Do you want me to stop?" Oh gods, please don't. 

"If you stop, I'll die." Her rich laughter was infectious, so much so that I finally managed to open my eyes and see her in all her glory. 

But there was something different to her. 

"Do you want to know how my meetings went?" I barely heard the question, for her gentle yet firm movements were a majority of what I could focus on, but I nodded nonetheless. 

"I thought you'd be irritated if you knew that your darling sister was the main reason as to why I had to leave, but after meeting with the team, I couldn't blame her." Glynda fondly nicknamed her, Weiss "cockblock" Schnee one day, and it just happened to stick.  
"They were an absolute mess. I'm surprised they didn't destroy the library with all their-mmm...you know." She paused, and I couldn't help but gaze at the wanton look of lust on her face. Her eyes….her eyes!

They had a cloudy look to them, as if she were slightly delirious...as if she were on an entirely different plane than I was. 

"Then Ozpin asked me to see him for the stupidest reason...I can hardly remember what it was now. Something about coffee, maybe...he might have mentioned cookies…" She shrugged and turned from her musings to look at me instead. 

"What's that look for? Am I hurting you?" The concern masked the cloudiness for a moment, and I desperately grabbed onto that, but it slipped right through my fingers. 

"No, I'm fine, I...are you alright?" A lot of emotions crossed her face within the span of a few seconds: confusion, surprise, anger, then amusement. What could that mean?

"I'd be better than alright if you stopped laying there and put some effort into screwing me." Her teasing always stirred something inside me, only this time it made my stomach clench unpleasantly. 

"Is there something you're not telling me?" She sighed again, though instead of the exhaustion I was used to, it was annoyance.

Before I could utter another word, she lifted off of me and walked over to her desk, her back rigid. I laid there for a moment, watching her. This wasn't necessarily the first time something like this has happened, but it felt different now. Something had changed with only a few uttered words. 

"I have been waiting all day for some sort of release, Winter. You were late, and...and I don't blame you for that," she briefly looked at the rose before turning back to look out the window. The sun was beginning to descend now, casting the room in low light and shadow. "I hoped that you'd understand, that you'd just...and instead you ask me idiotic questions to put me out of the mood." Her tone wasn't necessarily sharp, but it still managed to leave distinct cuts on my heart. 

I quickly shoved my member back where it belonged and sat up. I felt tears prickle at the corners of my eyes, but I forced them away.  
"If I ask you something, will you answer it?" As much as I wanted to beg her forgiveness and we could go on pretending I didn't cross some sort of line, I couldn't. I had to know. 

"I'm not in the mood to-"

"Do you have to ingest illicit substances in order to feel things?" I didn't ask the last part of my question, but it was heavily implied. 

She turned around so fast that a part of me was genuinely surprised she didn't get whiplash. 

"What?" Her eyes were wide, fear slowly making its way to the surface. "W...why would you even ask me that?"

"Am I to take that as a yes?" I couldn't help the frostiness of my voice, nor the formal tone that was steadily creeping out. This was the only way I knew to protect myself. 

"Winter...Winter, baby, this has...this has nothing to do with you." It was odd hearing her trip over her words, the look of absolute fright in her eyes. I'd never seen anything like it before. 

"Then what is it?" Why? 

A long, hopeless silence descended over us as I watched her shift uncomfortably. I didn't know how long we stayed this way: me, watching, waiting, and her, looking everywhere but at me. I couldn't take this silence...not when everything I loved hung in the unsteady balance of it. 

My sudden movements must have startled her, for she watched as I stood up, straighten my uniform, and as I made my way towards the door without a backward glance, a loud rattle resounded behind me, making me flinch. 

"Do you remember me telling you about the accident I had when I was younger?" I slowly turned around to see her determined gaze and posture, yet her hand was white-knuckling a neon orange pill bottle. 

I opened my mouth to say yes, then promptly shut it. There were tiny, somewhat insignificant details here and there, but this...well, I wasn't so sure. 

"You don't really tell me things, Glynda." A simple admission, if nothing else. 

I couldn't say I blamed her for it. Glynda and I were alike in the way of keeping things close to us, under wraps and out of sight from the world. She appreciated actions more than words, and while I gave her all I could, and she herself tried her best, it was usually never enough.

Her eyes widened before resignation crossed over her face like a shroud. 

"I thought I...anyway," She cleared her throat and looked down at the bottle in her hand before slowly, almost hesitantly, letting it go.  
"I was working a simple enough mission, a search and destroy, but I was cocky and arrogant; I always thought I was right and I never listened to anyone else, so of course those things had been my downfall." 

My legs moved on their own accord, carrying me over to her desk, and I reached out to pick the bottle up myself, the contents rattling obnoxiously.

"When I awoke in the infirmary a few days later, I was told that I was lucky to be alive. My legs and lower back had taken the brunt of the damage, but the feeling of disgust I felt outweighed any physical pain I had." 

I looked up from the bottle to find her staring at me, trying to gauge my reaction.

"I was discharged from the infirmary a few days after that. Ozpin wanted me to stay longer, but I had been restless enough. I couldn't lay there for another minute. Of course, I was given a prescription for the pain, and I tried to stay away from it as long as I could, but…" The forlorn look on her face said it all.

"It was too much." I had to swallow down the grief and sorrow I felt for her, and even then my voice came out as a wobbly whisper. 

"Yes." Her lips quivered slightly as she spoke, her eyes more clear than I'd ever seen them. They reminded me of a lush forest, or even a green ocean that I wouldn't mind drowning in. 

Wordlessly I set the bottle down and tugged on her hand until she was wrapped up safely in my arms. 

"I...I want to stop, but I don't think I have the strength…" She was the strongest woman I knew, perhaps the strongest woman who ever dared to live, so to hear those words come from her, it made me feel something deep within, something I didn't even know existed until this moment. 

"Then let me be what you need, Glynda." There was a moment of absolute quiet, and I waited breathlessly for an answer, preparing myself for the inevitably of her refusing me in this; in finally letting me in, in letting me see her for who she truly was, and not just some sort of facade she wore in order to please me. 

"Okay," my heart leapt into my throat, "I'll…I'll let you." All of the breath I had instantly left my body at those words, and without meaning to, I gripped her tightly, as if I were afraid she'd take it back. 

It wasn't until I felt her hand caress the back of my neck that I realized tears were streaming down my face. I knew it was idiotic of me to cry, and I wouldn't have blamed her if she felt it was uncalled for, but all she did was murmur those sweet nothings in my ear, her hands moving and holding me, keeping me grounded. 

Maybe it was time for a change. For healing.


	3. Acceptance and Moving Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fluff we wanted (hopefully).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the 100+ views! I didn't think this would get any, so it means a lot to me.

"I never realized how good you looked in blue until you started wearing those." 

The light chuckle and lingering look did not go unnoticed. 

"And I didn't realize how appreciated I'd be for wearing it." 

I smiled from my relaxed position on the bed and watched her as she sat in front of her vanity and brushed her hair. She decided that she was going to complete this task by only wearing lacy lingerie, and of course I couldn't help but stare. Every so often she'd glance at me through the mirror, her cheeks dusting a light pink at my blatant admiration for her. 

"Of course you're appreciated for it...for other things." The soft smile I received made my heart leap in response.

The last few months had been the hardest we'd ever encountered together. There was only a hint of resistance on her part, but we'd managed to get through with minimal damage...mostly. 

"I started wearing blue for you, you know." I did know. Glynda had always been fond of the darker part of the color spectrum: blacks, purples, and even red if she were in a particularly frisky mood, but one day when we were going at it in her office, I lifted her skirt to find pale blue waiting for me, and I fell in love immediately. 

"It's nice to know you're wearing it for yourself now." During one of her many delirious moments from withdrawals, she claimed that blue was steadily becoming her favorite color. It was one of the nicer things she'd said during that time, but I didn't dare tell her that. Things had been hard enough without the added guilt. 

"I always wear things for myself," She looked at me through the mirror and gave a crooked half smile that made my soul sigh in contentment, "You're the one who has to be told how to dress." 

I made an indignant sound, but we both knew she was right. 

"I can dress myself perfectly fine, thank you."

"Oh please." 

I watched as she set her brush down and picked up a bottle of her favorite lotion. I was still getting used to the comfort of such a routine; of her trusting me enough to see her bare and vulnerable. The smell washed over me gently, and it reminded me of sweet promises and secret smiles. 

"Do you remember our first time together?" 

She paused, her fingers idly stroking her thigh before she continued to spread the lotion on her skin firmly, evenly. 

"We were arguing about something, it probably had to do with James, or something stupid Qrow said, and then without meaning to," I scoffed, but she hardly noticed, "I looked down and you were pitching quite the tent." 

"You know arguing can make me horny."

"I do now, but at the time I was-"

"Intrigued and insatiable." I finished the statement and couldn't help the smirk that appeared as she rolled her eyes. 

"Well how was I to know the eldest Schnee had such a big secret, especially if you were adept at hiding it."

"It is big, isn't it?" The only response I received from my teasing remark was another eyeroll, but it was enough. 

"I am wondering what brought on that line of thinking." 

"Because after we were done, I accidentally put some of your things on along with mine, and you had the nerve to complain about how they clashed and looked "absolutely god awful."" 

She chuckled softly as she closed the bottle and put it back in it's rightful place. 

"It's not my fault you're fashion-challenged, dear."

"You've always told me that I look better without clothes on."

"I still stand by that." She turned in her chair to look at me thoughtfully. "But I can't necessarily say that what you're wearing now isn't attractive." 

I always felt an odd twinge in my chest when she complimented me. Compared to her, I was nothing but a trash bag, but if she knew I thought those things, it most likely wouldn't end well. 

"Really? You have no thoughts, no suggestions on what I'm wearing?" She eyed my tank top and shorts for a moment, and that's when I spotted the sparkle of mischief begin to form. 

"Well I might have a few." I knew she would. She always did. 

"I'm all ears." 

My eyes wandered up and down her body as she stood and strutted her way towards me. I really couldn't understand how I had managed to get this gorgeous woman into my bed, much less have her continue to come back again and again. 

"I have to admit that my thoughts and suggestions aren't pure." With those long, luscious legs of hers, it hadn't taken her long to crawl into bed and between my legs. 

"Are they ever?" She smacked my arm playfully and leaned in to peck my lips. 

"Can you really blame me?"

"I suppose not." 

Her lips quirked as she leaned in to kiss me again, but this time I didn't let her pull away. It felt wonderful to be like this with her; those strong, lean arms wrapped around my shoulders, her fingers threading through my hair and lightly tickling the back of my neck, her breasts pressing against mine deliciously as my hands roamed her lower back. 

"Winter…" Her voice was low and breathy as we broke apart, and I found myself caressing the rough patch of skin, my fingers slipping beneath the lace. Now that I knew and understood how she obtained these scars, it all felt more precious. "Take these off."

"I didn't hear a please." 

She huffed against my neck before sitting back, her thighs spreading apart as she did. I nearly drooled at the sight. 

"Do I have to say please if I take them off myself?" 

"Well when you put it that way…" She leaned in and kissed my cheek, gently prompting me to lift my arms.

I did as she wanted, watching as she flung the tank top across the room. I opened my mouth to tease and say how unnecessary that was when I spotted the color red. I'd seen it before, dozens of times, if not more, but it felt different this time. 

"Snowflake?" My heart squeezed at the hushed nickname, and I turned to see the concerned look in her eyes. 

"Glynda," I paused, feeling utterly stupid, but maybe that was okay. "Would you like to go on a date with me?" 

She looked at me as if I had suddenly grown another head, and I really couldn't blame her. We'd been rather intimate for quite a while, yet it had been only recently that we finally started getting closer in other ways.

"I know we've...but I'd like to…" I clutched harder at her backside, forcing her to move slightly forward, her hand coming to rest on my chest. "I just think it would be nice to go out together...wouldn't it?" The part of me that wanted her to be mine was showing, and I internally cringed as I waited for her response. 

I swallowed roughly as I felt her fingers twitch against my chest, my heart pounding against her hand. She looked thoughtful, almost serene as she gazed down at her hand, then into the very depths of my soul. 

"I'd want nothing more than to go on a date with you, Winter. Several of them, in fact." 

I could hardly believe it. 

"Really?"

She smiled. "Really." 

I couldn't help but glance over again at the rose on her bedside table. It was the same rose I had gotten her months ago in the hopes of it tripling my courage into finally asking her out, but my plan hadn't gone the way I expected. I can finally say I'm glad it didn't. 

"I love you, Glynda." 

Her bottom lip quivered slightly at that, fingers curling against my skin before straightening out and trailing down my chest and to my abdomen. 

"And I you." 

That night was the first of many for us. 


	4. Bonus Chapter: The Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reassurances are hard to come by...at least they used to be. 
> 
> I was listening to Enchanted by Taylor Swift while writing this, so you're welcome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been going through some personal things lately, but I'm doing my best to pull myself up and continue, and finishing this up will help with that process.
> 
> Thanks for reading this, it means a lot to me :)

The hopeless romantic in me wants to say that I've waited my whole life for this moment. Everything I've ever done has somehow led me to this point, and anything that may happen after is just icing on the metaphorical cake. 

My pessimistic side disagrees against that point wholeheartedly. It says that everything that has ever happened, happened because of chance. The game of life is utterly stupid, pointless, and a waste of time, yet we play it because we have to. 

So far my pessimistic side is starting to win the argument.

The date didn't go as planned. I really should have realized it wouldn't, or at least had that planted in the back of my mind in order for my soul not to be crushed into powder from the disappointment, as if it wasn't already. 

If I think about it, everything I've ever done or been involved in has lead to such unbearable disappointment, and if I really wanted to, I could probably pinpoint when it all began. 

'How about your birth?' I chuckled at the thought.

"What are you laughing at?" I glanced over at Glynda, my self-deprecating thoughts slowly disappearing as I noticed the familiar twinkle in her eye, shining bright as always. 

I tried to hide my surprise. It had no right to be there, not after everything. 

"The voices are telling me funny jokes." 

I couldn't help but laugh again at the incredulous look on her face, then the eye roll as realization struck. 

"You're such an idiot." 

"Aw, you really think so?" I batted my eyelashes and received another eye roll in response. 

She looked at me then, her expression growing more thoughtful. 

“You’ve been quiet,” I watched her lips purse momentarily before quirking up, “Normally I can’t get so much as a word in when you’re around.”

There was an unspoken question in that teasing statement, but I didn’t want to answer it. I was afraid to. 

An emotion entered her eyes. I couldn’t quite place what it was, though I didn’t have to. 

My chest tightened as she got out of the booth. I turned my head away and looked out the window. The rain was lightening up, but not by much. 

It was fitting for the mood I was in. 

“Look at me.”

The seat squeaked and lowered beside me, and I felt my thigh twitch at the command. I frowned at its betrayal.

“Please.” The softness of her tone made my chest loosen, and after a minute, I did as she asked. 

“I know you must be disappointed at how everything turned out, but there is a bright side to this.”

I couldn’t see one. 

We were supposed to go walking in Vale’s shopping district. I was also going to surprise her with a lovely dinner at her favorite restaurant: flowers, candles, wine, the whole romantic scene, but here we are, in some crappy little diner neither of us knew existed, soaked to the bone and partly pissed. Or at least I was. 

The warmth on my cheek pulled me out of my thoughts and back on her. 

Her hair was still damp, glasses slightly smudged, and the knee-length purple dress she wore clung to her like a second skin, but she was easily the most beautiful woman in the room.

“I must look like a drowned rat.” I blushed at the quiet laugh. I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. 

“You always look impeccable, darling. I usually can’t help but wonder how you do it so effortlessly.”

I couldn’t bring myself to roll my eyes at the compliment. It was too heartfelt to ignore. 

That was steadily becoming the norm these days. 

“I’m sorry if I’ve ruined our night.”

The warmth descended from my cheek and wrapped around my shoulders, gently tugging me until I laid my head on her chest.

“It’s not ruined,” lips pressed to the top of my head, “In fact, I know how we can make it better.”

I looked at Glynda curiously, her grin infectious. 

She ended up ordering us coffee and chocolate pie, regaling tales of her youthful hijinks as a student of Beacon with team STRQ, and even those who eventually became professors like herself. I couldn’t remember laughing or smiling as hard as I did that night, and it was all thanks to her.

Towards the end of the night, after we paid the bill and were daring to go out into the rain again, I looked over at her, those twinkling eyes wide with amusement and affection, and her smile was crooked and childlike. 

“Ready?”

I was deeply, irrevocably, in love. 

“Always.”

Glynda grabbed my hand, a quiet moment passing between us as she gave a reassuring squeeze, then we dashed out into the world without a second thought, and towards the rest of our lives.


End file.
